According to a conventional false color suppression method, when a color filter has a matrix of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) filters shown in FIG. 9 (note that G1 and G2 shown in FIG. 9 are both G filters, but are distinguished for the purpose of easy understanding), a color difference generation circuit makes color interpolation so that the individual pixels respectively have signals corresponding to R, G1, B, and G2 filters (these signals are also indicated by R, G1, B, and G2),
(1) the circuit then compares (R−G1) and (R−G2), mixes (R−G1) and (R−G2) or selects one of them in accordance with the difference between (R−G1) and (R−G2), and outputs the obtained signal as an (R−G) signal, and
(2) the circuit compares (B−G1) and (B−G2), mixes (B−G1) and (B−G2) or selects one of them in accordance with the difference between (B−G1) and (B−G2), and outputs the obtained signal as a (B−G) signal.
In this manner, a process for reducing false colors while maintaining tone expressions is performed by selectively generating the color difference signals.
However, in the conventional method, since color separation directions are independently selected to mix colors upon generating the (R−G) and (B−G) signals, different directions and different ratios may be used to generate the color difference signals, (R−G) and (B−G) signals, which may result in generating another false color.